Office of Readings for the Liturgy of the Hours for

Blessed Emperor Karl of Austria

Memorial: October 21

Karl of the House of Austria was born in Persenbeug (Diocese of St. Pölten) in 1887.  On October 21, 1911 he married Zita of Bourbon-Parma. With his wife and children he led an exemplary family life - a true domestic church, shaped by his intimate love for the Blessed Sacrament and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1916, in the midst of the First World War he became Emperor of Austria and was crowned King of Hungary.  He strove for a fair and lasting peace, and promoted equity and justice.  After the revolution of the Provisional National Assembly in 1919, he was banished into exile, lived in poverty and bore his illness with a profound trust in God.  He died on April 1, 1922, in Funchal on the island of Madeira, while calling upon the name of Jesus.

Second Reading:

(Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes, no. 93)

A World to be built up and brought to fulfillment

Mindful of the words of the Lord: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn. 13:35), Christians can yearn for nothing more ardently than to serve the men of this age with an ever growing generosity and success.  Holding loyally to the Gospel, enriched by its resources, and joining forces with all who love and practice justice, they have shouldered a weighty task here on earth and they must render an account of it to him who will judge all men on the last day.  Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who do the will of the father (cf. Mt. 7:21), and who manfully put their hands to the work.  It is the Father’s will that we should recognize Christ our brother in the persons of all men and love them with an effective love, in word and in deed, thus bearing witness to the truth; and it is his will that we should share with others the mystery of his heavenly love.  In this way men all over the world will awaken to a lively hope (the gift of the Holy Spirit) that they will one day be admitted to the haven of surpassing peace and happiness in their homeland radiant with the glory of the Lord.

“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever.  Amen” (Eph. 3:20-21).

Responsory:

R  You have become light in the Lord.  Live as children of the light! *

The light produces every kind of goodness, righteousness and truth.

V  You are the light of the world.  Let your light shine before men. * The light produces every kind of goodness, righteousness and truth.

Prayer:

O God, through the adversities of this world

You led Blessed Karl from this earthly realm

to the crown reserved for him in heaven. 

Grant through his intercession

that we may so serve Your Son

and our brothers and sisters

that we may become worthy of eternal life. 

Through Jesus Christ.

Amen.